Yoga mat
Improvements on mats for practicing yoga are presented. The mats typically provide improved balance, stability, relief of joint and knee pain, and/or improved grip, among other advantages. One particular mat has an upper surface with protrusions, such as knobs, to provide a feeling of acupressure massage to the user. The mat may be continuous and rolled up for storage, or may be divided into sections and folded. A layer of foam may be provided for cushioning, and the foam may optionally be a memory foam. Alternative embodiments include a mat without the protrusions on the upper surface, a mat with cushioning that has an undulating or otherwise irregular surface, and a mat that has no central foam but which is made of a single material.
The present invention relates to exercise mats and, in particular, to exercise mats that are particularly well-suited to yoga.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONYoga is practiced worldwide as both a form of spiritual and physical development. In the West, Yoga is most often practiced as a form of exercise that develops and tones the muscles, increases flexibility and strength, improves balance and promotes overall health and well-being. Circulation is also increased and the nerves are ensured a supply of nutrients and oxygen.
The Yogic physical exercises are called Asanas, a term which means “steady pose.” By way of example, in one form of yoga some basic postures include: headstand, shoulderstand, plough, fish, forward bend, cobra, locust, bow, spinal twist, crow pose, and peacock pose, standing forward bend, and triangle. The names of these poses indicate that much bending and stretching is involved.
The routine is typically done on a floor, and poses are normally held for some time. It is therefore common to use a yoga mat or rug during a yoga routine. However, many of the yoga mats currently in use do not provide optimal support to the user, or do not provide optimal comfort. Consequently, it would be desirable to have improved mat options for the yoga practitioner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, an exercise mat for yoga has a lower non-slip layer, a middle cushion layer, and an upper layer. The upper layer has knobs on its outer surface to provide acupressure support to a user. Side layers are interconnected with the upper and lower layers to encompass the middle cushion layer.
In accordance with optional aspects of the embodiment, the middle cushion layer may be made of foam. The foam may be any type of foam known in the art for mats, or may be a specialized foam such as memory foam. As an alternative to foam, the cushion layer may be formed from cotton batting, hulls, or other cushioning material. The upper layer may be molded rubber. The knobs may be integral to the upper layer, or may be separately attached.
In one embodiment, the mat is divided into foldable sections. The sections may be divided by seams, such as sewn seems, interlocking seems, or other seems known in the art.
Considering another embodiment, an exercise mat for yoga may have a lower non-slip layer, a middle cushion layer, an upper layer, and side layers interconnected with the upper and lower layers to encompass the middle cushion layer. In all of the embodiments, the lower, upper and side layers may be one continuous sheet of material, if desired, that is welded or otherwise connected together.
In another embodiment, an exercise mat for yoga has a lower non-slip layer, at least one foam middle cushion layer, and an upper layer that has integral knobs on its outer surface, to provide acupressure support to a user. Side layers are interconnected with the upper and lower layers to encompass the middle cushion layer. The exercise mat also has foldable sections.
Generally, the present invention encompasses a variety of improved mat designs, including sectioned mats that fold, mats that are cushioned with memory foam, mats that have knobs or similar protrusions on (or beneath) the upper surface in order to provide acupressure, and/or any combination of these elements.
Other variations are possible, including providing a foam layer that has a pattern on its surface, such as a wave pattern, an undulating pattern, an egg crate pattern, or the like, to provide a specialized cushioning to the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention relates to various embodiments of optimal yoga mats for improved balance, stability, relief of joint and knee pain, and/or improved grip. Certain embodiments also provide specific advantages, such as providing acupressure to the exerciser, and/or utilizing memory foam, and/or dividing the mat into hinged sections so as to be foldable.
Considering now a first embodiment,
The sections are divided by joints 14a, 14b, and 14c. These joints may be any of the number of different forms. The joints may be, for example, seams formed by sewing the top and bottom layers together. Alternatively, the top and bottom layers may be fused together at the fold seams, as by heat welding or other type of welding, or with an adhesive. The seams may also be hinged, as by an interlocking hinge or by other hinges suitable for use on a folding mat.
Alternatively, the upper layer 20 may be a composite formed from an upper sheet having knobs attached thereto, such as by sewing, gluing, or other attachment method known in the art. For example, the knobs 18 may be made, in one embodiment, from metal, which is attached to an upper layer (for example, rubber) by way of an adhesive or other known means.
Most typically, the upper surface 16 will be formed of an integral layer of molded material, which may be made with standard injection molding equipment or other equipment known in the art. The knobs may be circular in shape, elliptical, square, rectangular, pointed, or a mixture of different shapes. In one embodiment, the knobs are a uniform height across the upper surface. In another embodiment, however, the knobs vary in height to provide a non-uniform upper surface.
Also, the knobs may be arranged in patterns atop the surface, so as to support certain portions of the anatomy during use. That is, there may be knobs concentrated in a central portion of the mat, for example, with fewer knobs elsewhere on the mat. Also, the density or size of the knobs may increase in certain areas of the mat, to improve the function of the mat. Other patterns of knobs may be made, as desired.
Memory foam is made from polyurethane with additional chemicals that add to its viscosity level, thereby increasing the density of the foam. It is often referred to as visco-elastic polyurethane foam. Memory foam is available commercially under the name Tempur-Pedic®. A variety of different densities may be used, such as the 4 pound density memory foam. In one embodiment, the memory foam is up to two inches thick, although thinner layers may be used.
The foam layer 22 may be provided as a single layer, or may be provided as multiple layers stacked atop one another. The foam layer may also be, for example, a bonded foam. As a further alternative, the layer 22 may be a material other than foam, such as cotton.
A bottom layer 24 is typically made from a material known in the art for yoga mats, particularly a material that has non-slip and/or sticky properties. The material 24 may be, for instance, a sticky material that temporarily adheres to the floor during exercise in order to prevent movement of the mat during exercise. Non-slip materials for yoga mats are known in the art.
Considering now
The foam layer 122 may be a resilient foam known in the art, or may be a special memory foam, when desired. In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
As a further embodiment,
As a further alternative,
Those skilled in the art will recognize a variety of different materials that can be employed. For the cushioning, materials such as memory foam, closed-cell PVC vinyl material, open cell foam, neoprene, rubber, latex, microfiber cushion, cotton batting, kapok and hull filling and/or a variety of other materials known in the art may be employed. The outer surface of the mat may be a known material that provides a high-tack surface, such as latex for example, particularly for the lower covering to prevent slipping on the floor. Alternatively, other covering materials—including natural materials such as cotton, a jute fabric/rubber mix or many other materials—may be employed.
As further alternatives, the yoga mat may have built-in carrying handles to eliminate the need for a separate mat bag. Also, the mat may be covered in a waterproof material for outdoor use. The mat may come in any of a wide variety of colors.
As a matter of terminology, “knob” as used in the claim means a protrusion of any shape or size. In specific embodiments, the knobs may be fairly tall, such as ¼″, ½″, 1″, or 2″ high, for example, and ⅛″ to 2″ in width. In one embodiment, the knobs are ½″ wide by 1/2″ tall, which provides an acupressure effect that mere surface roughness could never approximate.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the present invention provides new and improved embodiments of yoga mats, providing balance, stability, relief of joint pain, and/or acupressure. The folding feature of the mat offers convenience to carry or transport the mat, as well as to travel with it. While the invention has been illustrated and described herein in terms of its use relative to yoga, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention can be used in other endeavors, such as stretching exercises.
While particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An exercise mat for yoga comprising:
- a lower non-slip layer;
- a middle cushion layer; and
- an upper layer having a plurality of knobs on the outer surface of the upper layer, to provide acupressure support to a user;
- wherein the lower and upper layers are interconnected to encompass the middle cushion layer.
2. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the middle cushion layer comprises foam.
3. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the middle cushion layer comprises memory foam.
4. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the upper layer is molded rubber.
5. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the knobs are integral to the upper layer.
6. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the knobs are separately attached to the upper layer.
7. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the knobs comprise metal.
8. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the exercise mat has sections.
9. An exercise mat as described in claim 8, wherein sections are divided by seams.
10. An exercise mat as described in claim 1, wherein the seams are sewn.
11. An exercise mat for yoga comprising:
- a lower non-slip layer;
- a middle cushion layer; and
- an upper layer;
- wherein the upper and lower layers are interconnected to encompass the middle cushion layer; and
- wherein the middle cushion layer comprises memory foam and the exercise mat has foldable sections.
12. (canceled)
13. An exercise mat as described in claim 11, wherein the upper layer comprises knobs.
14. (canceled)
15. An exercise mat as described in claim 11, wherein the middle cushion layer has a patterned upper surface.
16. An exercise mat as described in claim 15, wherein the middle cushion layer has an egg crate upper surface.
17. An exercise mat for yoga comprising:
- a lower non-slip layer;
- at least one middle cushion layer; and
- an upper layer having a plurality of integral knobs on the outer surface of the upper layer, to provide acupressure support to a user;
- wherein the upper and lower layers are interconnected to encompass the middle cushion layer; and
- wherein the exercise mat comprises foldable sections that can be folded together to fold the exercise mat.
18. An exercise mat as described in claim 17, wherein the middle cushion layer comprises memory foam.
19. An exercise mat as described in claim 17, wherein the upper layer is molded rubber.
20. An exercise mat as described in claim 17, wherein at least one of the lower and upper layers comprises latex.
21. An exercise mat as described in claim 17, wherein the upper, middle and lower layers are formed from one, continuous piece of material.
Type: Application
Filed: May 25, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 29, 2007
Applicant: UKARMA CORPORATION (a NV corp) (New York, NY)
Inventor: William Glaser (New York, NY)
Application Number: 11/442,693
International Classification: A63B 26/00 (20060101); A63B 23/00 (20060101);